Beleriand
Beleriand (Sindarin IPA: ) was a vast region located in north-western Middle-earth during the First Age. Originally, its name referred only to the area around the Bay of Balar, but in time the name was also applied to the entire land. The root of the word, Beler ''or ''Balar, is believed to refer to the Maia Ossë, who often dwelt at the shores of Balar. The War of Wrath at the end of the First Age brought the destruction of the entire continent, and its descent into the sea. Geography To the west and south, Beleriand had a long coast with the Great Sea Belegaer; to the north were the highland regions of Hithlum, Dorthonion, and the hills of Himring; to the east the Blue Mountains reached nearly to the sea. The land of Nevrast in the north-west was sometimes considered part of Beleriand. Sirion, the chief river of Beleriand, running north to south, divided the continent into West Beleriand and East Beleriand. Crossing it east to west was a series of hills and a sudden drop in elevation known as Andram, the Long Wall. (The river sank into the ground at the Fens of Sirion, and reemerged below the Andram at the Gates of Sirion.) To the east of the Long Wall, was the River Gelion with its six tributaries draining the Blue Mountains, in an area known as Ossiriand or the Land of Seven Rivers. The River Brithon and the River Nenning were the two lesser rivers of the western land of Falas. In the year FA 583, Beleriand was mostly destroyed by the War of Wrath of the Valar against Morgoth. Only a small section of East Beleriand remained, and was known as Lindon. In addition, fulfilling a prophecy, the graves of Túrin Turambar and Morwen also survived as the island Tol Morwen. Part of Dorthonion became Tol Fuin, and the Hill of Himring became the island of Himling. All of these together were known as the Western Isles. The final words of Galadriel to Treebeard at their parting at Isengard, "Not in Middle-earth, nor until the lands that lie under the wave are lifted up again. Then in the willow-meads of Tasarinan we may meet in the spring. Farewell!" suggests that Beleriand will be recovered from the Sea again, after the Dagor Dagorath, since it will be like Arda Unmarred but containing all the good things of Arda Marred. Etymology The name Beleriand refers either to the continent's initial colonization by the Teleri who had been ferried to Beleriand upon the Isle of Balar, or to the land's great Bay of Balar in accordance with the name's meaning, "land of Balar". Beleriand had many emended different names in Tolkien's earlier writings (see: The History of Middle-earth): Broceliand, Broseliand, Golodhinand, Noldórinan, Geleriand, Bladorinand, Belaurien, Arsiriand, Lassiriand, and Ossiriand (which was later used as a name for another realm). Places Regions and realms * Arvernien * Forest of Brethil * Dimbar * Doriath (Kingdom of Thingol and Melian) * Estolad * Falas * Himlad * Nan-tathren (Land of Willows) * Talath Dirnen (Guarded Plain) * Taur-en-Faroth (Forest of the Hunters) * Taur-im-Duinath * Thargelion * Ossiriand (later Lindon) Cities * Belegost (Dwarven stronghold) * Nogrod (Dwarven stronghold) * Brithombar and Eglarest (The Havens of the Falas) * Gondolin (Hidden city of Turgon) * Menegroth (Underground stronghold below Doriath) * Nargothrond (Underground stronghold of Finrod) * Himring * Vinyamar Translations around the World ca:Beleríand de:Beleriand es:Beleriand fr:Beleriand it:Beleriand pl:Beleriand ru:Белерианд Category:Sindarin words Category:Regions Category:Realms Category:Beleriand